by Rev. Benjamin Chung (鍾立恆牧師)
1 Corinthians 10:17 (ESV) Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
Isn’t it interesting how the entire world really eats the same food? Sure, Asians might eat rice more, but we also eat pasta, beans and bread. Even if we think of the dishes we make, we often use many of the same ingredients and often it is the sauces and flavors that are different. As a whole, humanity isn’t all that different. We need food, shelter and clothing as basic necessities to survive.
More importantly, all of humanity is indebted to God the Father for His wonderful gift to us, His Son Jesus Christ. This is how we receive salvation, which is the saving of our lives from our deserved eternal damnation. Eternal life means that we will be living with God in heaven, in His presence, in His house of many room, and in worship of Him.
But let’s go back to the food analogy. As a baptized follower of Jesus, this means that we have taken of the one bread, who is Jesus. Jesus is the bread of life, and all who have “eaten” of Him are called His children. All who have “eaten” of Jesus are part of the same body of believers. This is what I mean by, “One Bread, one Body”. This means my Black Christian friend is also of the same Body of believers and is part of the same family. This means people of all cultures and backgrounds near and far are believers.
What this also means is that the family of believers is not just of those who look like us or similar to us. It means that our Christian brothers and sisters are people from every continent all over the globe. They include those who speak the same language and those who speak languages we are not familiar with. I want to address those who might be of a different culture but still speak the same language. It means that we are going to show up at a church and assist them no-matter whether or not they look like us, because they are fellow believers. The peacemaker understands that even if there was hostility in the past, we overlook it to because we are family. May we be able to show concern and sympathy, if not empathy, for believers who have fears with what the future might hold. This is our brother. This is our sister. This is one who has partaken of the same bread that we have. Let us continue to check in with believers during this time of unrest of Covid-19 and the upcoming election. Make sure listen and pray for our fellow brothers and sisters in their struggles, pains and celebrations and joys. God bless!
Translation:
哥林多前書10:17（英文標準版）我們雖多，仍是一個餅、一個身體，因為我們都是分受這一個餅。
整個世界都吃著相同的食物難道不是很有趣嗎？ 當然，亞洲人可能會吃米飯較多，但我們也會吃意大利粉，豆類和麵包。即使是我們自己所烹調出來的菜餚，我們也經常使用許多相同的食材，祇是醬料和口味有些不同而已。 總體而言，人類本身並沒有什麼大分別。 所有人都需要食物，藏身居所和衣服作為生存基本的必需品。
更重要的，全人類都當感謝天父上帝賜予我們寶貴的禮物，就是祂的兒子耶穌基督。我們所得的救贖就是祂從我們本應受到永恆詛咒的生命中拯救出來。 永生意味著我們將與神一同住在天上，有神的同在，安息在祂有許多房間的屋子裡，並且參與敬拜。
現在讓我們回到食物的譬喻上。 作為經已受洗的耶穌跟隨者，這意味著我們分受了餅----就是耶穌。 耶穌是生命的糧，所有“吃”祂的人都可以稱為是祂的兒女。 所有 “吃” 耶穌的人都屬基督身體的一部分。這便是我所指的“一個餅，一個身體”。這表示我的黑人基督徒朋友也同屬基督的肢體，並且屬於一個家。 這亦表示無論是遠還是近，不同文化和不同背景的人都能同作信徒。
信徒的家不僅僅是那些看起來像我們或與我們相似的人。我們的基督徒兄弟姐妹也可以是來自世界各地的人。他們包括說相同語言的人和說我們不熟悉語言的人。 我想特別提及那些可能具有不同文化但仍講相同語言的人。當我們聚集在教會裡，無論他們看起來是否與我們相同，他們仍然可以得到扶持和幫助，因為他們是我們信仰上的夥伴。 願意與人和睦的人會了解到即使過去內心存有敵對情緒，我們也可以不計前嫌，把這些情緒放下，因為我們都是一家人。 即使我們未能感同身受，願我們能夠對那些為未來感到恐懼的信徒表示同情和關注。 他們是我們的兄弟！ 她們是我們的姐妹！ 他們每一位都是與我們同領生命之糧的人。 讓我們在這動盪的2019 冠状病毒中和即將舉行的選舉期間仍然繼續與信徒們彼此關顧和聯繫。務必細心聆聽並為我們的同行伙伴祈禱。上帝賜福!